I AM Zangetsu
by MidnightEden234
Summary: Spoiler warning for the manga! A brief idea as to how White and Zangetsu became one, and how it all revolves around their instinct to protect Ichigo. Also, how the truth is revealed through the Zanpakuto arc. Ichigo learns that his Hollow's desire to 'devour' him was just the beginning, and that there's much more to his truthfully over protective Zanpakuto. AU-ish HichiIchi
1. White, Zangetsu and Yhwach

The last thing I remember was hearing Ichigo scream. It scared me, to hear King in such soul crushing pain. What could have caused him to cry out like that?

Then it all became clear. The chains around my body melted away, the darkness that was King's Shihakusho peeled off my clothing to reveal the pure white beneath. I sighed, watching my skin bleach back to white, my fingernails turn black, and my surroundings changing to... oh great, _this_ place.

It wasn't King's inner world, at least, not his real one. This was the place I was forced to be by King. He didn't accept me as a part of himself, as a result I was forced into the corners of his mind where even he couldn't venture. He didn't want me around... I didn't blame him.

But how I had been awoken seemed to cast out any thoughts that King didn't like me. Fact was, the old man wouldn't have just let go of his hold on me for no reason. Now, either that scream meant Ichigo was wounded and I needed to fix him, or that whatever enemy he was facing was much stronger and he needed his full power **_now_**.

Either way, Ichigo was in danger, and I needed to get out of here to help him.

I know what some of you are probably thinking; since when have I cared about Ichigo?

Let me start at the beginning... around the time Ichigo's mother died.

* * *

**Third Person POV.**

His inner world was small at the time, only one building was in it. The world was underwater, Kurosaki Clinic being suffocated by the minute.

"Mommy? Mommy!?" White felt alive under Ichigo's sorrow, each tremor and sob he heard pulled him closer to the crying child. As he reached for the sun, two cold blades were placed at his throat.

"Not so fast, Hollow. I cannot allow you to hurt my Master."

The Hollow made a growling noise, echoed both naturally and by the wide open water.

The being behind him had blue eyes and grey hair, two pure black swords in black gloved hands, and a sleeveless Shihakusho on skinny arms. "I know I'm fading away... But I WON'T allow you to hurt our young Master so long as I still draw breath."

White submitted to the Zanpakuto, for now...

Later, sky scrapers grew from the ground, pushing out White and Zangetsu from the water. Zangetsu grew stronger, feeling that Ichigo had summoned his Zanpakuto for the first time.

But it wasn't long until White was summoned by Ichigo too. Ichigo was in the middle of battling a Hollow, when the world shifted. A crack appeared in the middle of the skyscrapers, a deadly crack. White could reach Ichigo's mind, making the boy twisted - if just for a second - he and Ichigo simultaneously reached through the Hollow's mask, yanking out it's tongue...

He was pulled back when Ichigo's sanity cleared. Zangetsu pinned him to the wall, his eyes angry and glowing a violent blue.

White made a gargled sound, much like a sigh, and Zangetsu moved away. They waited in silence for their King's fight to end. White cooed at Ichigo's anger, his jealousy of forces that were stronger than him, and Zangetsu remained silent, waiting for the right time to reach his King and tell him his name.

So long as Zangetsu remained, White couldn't take control. And so long as White remained, Zangetsu was left with constant headaches.

One day the unthinkable happened. The world sunk yet again, this time a few more buildings present - Orihime's apartment, the bridge were Ichigo saved Chad, the streets where Ichigo and Uryu fought, and Masaki's grave. For days there was nothing but Ichigo's screams and sobbing. Zangetsu was weak, now that Rukia's given powers had been cut out by some... Captain Kuchiki, and White was unable to do anything since Ichigo hadn't any power at all that could be tainted.

"How pitiful."

White and Zangetsu turned, eyes wide at the face neither of them had seen before. "Who're you!?" Zangetsu voiced the question on both of their minds.

"Me?" The man was much older than Zangetsu and White, displaying wisdom in his eyes, along with malice. "Well, I suppose my name would technically be Ichigo, as that's who I live within."

White growled. Zangetsu pointed his left blade at the intruder. "You are not my Master, stranger. Now who are you really?"

The man sighed, his cloak and dark brown hair flowing in the wind. "I am Yhwach."

White and Zangetsu glanced at each other, which was odd for them act alike, then back to Yhwach.

Yhwach sighed and stepped forward. "Regardless of who I am, the two of you are an infestation. Be gone. I will deal with giving the boy his powers back."

* * *

There was air, not water, but there was no sun. The sky scrapers had turned orange, and the sky was blood red with black clouds. Before there was a chance for White or Zangetsu to question their new location, they heard a cry. Turning, the could see the normal world through the glass of this fake one.

"Yhwach... he's... he's feeding lies to our Master!" Zangetsu cried desperately. His lips quivered when he felt White behind him, his growl angry and violent.

Zangetsu nodded, a tear rolling down his cheek. "Yes, White... I do believe it is time for _that._"

**TO BE CONTINUED**


	2. A New World and A New Life

**Update (at the bottom).**

* * *

Zangetsu coughed. Not just your ordinary, _oh I caught a cold _cough. No. It was the kind of cough that tore open the throat and left blood in the Kleenex. Except in here, in this cold and dark side of Ichigo's inner world, there were no tissues, which meant the blood simply sprayed across the orange sky scrapers.

Zangetsu was _dying._

His eyes shut as a poisonous blue tongue caressed his cheek. "You sick Hollow… hasn't anyone ever taught you not to play with your food?"

It coed, and enjoyed the torturous look on Zangetsu's face. White rolled Zangetsu onto his back, watching as the life faded from the Zanpakuto's eyes. At the same time, yellow irises appeared behind White's mask.

* * *

Ichigo was running, the crazy shop keeper close behind him. He ducked when a sword was sent his way, using his speed to slide past a large rock then dive behind it. Ichigo took the opportunity to catch his breath, knowing it wouldn't take Kisuke Urahara long before catching up.

"You are scared," he heard the voice of the Old Man in his mind.

Ichigo couldn't have agreed more. Kisuke was a terrifying opponent, of course he was scared!

"Why is that? You should feel no fear when you have a magnificent power at your disposal." Ichigo stared at the ground questioningly. Where was this power the Old Man talked about? If it was so great, then why was it that Kisuke was able to beat him so easily? "Listen, Ichigo, you should be able to hear it now. My name…

"I don't hear anything…" Ichigo replied, exhausted and sick of all the mind games. He heard Kisuke approaching and started running again.

"Then remove fear, it is the obstacle that blocks your hearing!" The Old Man snapped. Ichigo suddenly froze, an enormous sense of pride filling his entire body. He gripped the hilt in his hand, attempting to spread his resolve towards the sword. "You are level with this opponent. You are one and he is one. What do you have to fear?"

It was all starting to make sense to Ichigo now.

"Retreat and you will age. Age makes you weak. Hesitate and you will die. Give your enemy no chance to strike you. My name is Zangetsu!"

* * *

A pale hand punched a hole through the window by Zangetsu's limp form. A bubbling mass of laughter escaped the skull-like mask, words escaping a mouth that hadn't spoken since its birth, "Look at him, Zangetsu! Look!"

Dying eyes moved to look a window higher, a ghostly image of Ichigo appearing. Ichigo swung his new Zanpakuto, an oversized butcher's knife, towards Kisuke, and immediately Zangetsu and White could feel the buzz of their powers being used.

White cackled, removed his bloodied hand from the window. He watched the attack go straight towards Kisuke. "Kill him, Ichigo! Kill him!"

It vanished as Ichigo fainted, his body instinctively clinging to his Zanpakuto for support. Zangetsu smiled, murmuring with the last of his strength, "Look at Master… he'll be alright… he'll be just fine…" The second he was done speaking, the Zanpakuto shattered into a mass of blue light. It hovered around White like glitter before surrounding him all at once.

As the glow began to fade, a new being fell to its knees. A being that looked like Ichigo, but was white, fell against the inverted sky scraper with a gentle thud. It was unconscious, a soft smirk playing on its lips much unlike Ichigo's scowl. Where it should have been red it was blue, and everything else remained colourless except for its eyes. Hidden beneath delicate eyelids were shining gold irises and ink black sclera, something taken from Ichigo's own nightmares.

How ironic that something so violent and impure would come to be recognized as Ichigo's instinct. Ichigo, a man who would sacrifice everything he is to protect every man and woman around him, had the heart of a killer and the soul of a Hollow. If Zanpakuto were truly meant to reflect their Masters, then is it Ichigo who is the deceiver, or perhaps is it Zangetsu?

The being woke, its peculiar eyes flickering about the strange new world. It felt pain, but knew it was wrong, however the reason why escaped its memory altogether. It touched the cold surface of the orange building, looking into the black glass and staring at Ichigo as though he were a complete stranger. It whispered one word, "King…"

Soon after it became horrified, his beloved King's body was being horribly torn apart by another man with bright red hair. The being recognized the other man as an enemy immediately, and took to focusing what little power it had on protecting King.

He cried in shock as Ichigo was knocked down, jumping away from the window. His fingers brushed against something and he turned to see what it was. The being inched towards the object, a white mask, it then picked it up and threw it at the window. "King!"

After a few minutes, it realized nothing had happened. It moved towards the mask, punching it in fury. It cried when it didn't break, instead it cut open his knuckles. He picked up the mask and threw it away onto another building, the mask now stained with blood. It watched Ichigo fight, helpless in helping him. It watched as the red haired man cut clean into Ichigo's shoulder, it screaming in terror at the pained look on Ichigo's face. Slowly blood began to pour out of its shoulder as well, the being curling up and sobbing. Its eyes widened, finding the mask back next to him. It placed the mask on its shoulder, clutching it close as it fell back unconscious.

* * *

**A little confusing, I apologize. As you can see, White and Zangetsu have finally merged~ However, the new being doesn't remember who he is… for now. Doesn't even remember that he's a he…**

**Anyways! Zangetsu willingly gave in, knowing that he and White combined would be able to reach Ichigo better than alone. So yes, ultimately Zangetsu sacrificed himself to keep Ichigo safe from Yhwach.**

**Stay tuned for the next chapter... Ichigo vs Kenpachi and Byakuya! :D**

**Update: Just a few grammar fixes... and an announcement! I'm wondering if anyone would like to part take in an experiment with me? If you trust me with your email, I will invite you to join a google docs collab. You can help me correct my chapters, or even add stuff to them, and even chat live with me while we're working on it! Although, I think the best part is that you alone will get to see what happens before I release the next chapter. If you're interested, pm me with your email. If you have any questions, ask and I will answer! I think this could be fun, and you'd be helping me with my writing skills! Thank you!**


	3. Fragile Bonds

**Before we begin, I have a few important things you should know.**

**Yes, this story will continue as a HichiIchi fic. HOWEVER, Daricio has kindly enough allowed me to create my own version of 'Feeling Hollow'. In my reconstructed version it will not be HichiIchi, just a simple partnership fic about Ichigo and his Hollow. I'll call it 'Understanding White'. It'll add what's new to the manga to Daricio's already fantastic story!**

**Thank you for your patience, I won't interrupt this fanfiction anymore!**

* * *

The pale being opened his eyes to a bright hot sun. He shielded his eyes and dropped to the ground. When the light suddenly faded, he opened his eyes to find himself in pitch darkness.

"Who are you?" A deep voice sounded. The pale being looked up to see a white circle at the top of the darkness.

"I… don't remember… Who are you?"

The light was silent for a minute before answering, "My name is Zangetsu." Then the darkness peeled away and revealed itself as a cloak. An older man was revealed, wearing a brown cloak the same colour as his hair. "We need your help."

"We?"

Zangetsu took out a sword. In the blade's reflection was a very familiar orange haired boy.

"King!" The pale being leapt for the sword. To his surprise, the old man moved it away.

"He's fighting a very powerful Soul Reaper. I need your help to teach Ichigo." It was then that Zangetsu handed over the Zanpakuto. "You're very similar to Ichigo. You should be able to teach him much easier than I."

The other didn't need much persuasion. He knew he had to help his King, _Ichigo, _any way that he could.

"Shiro…"

The pale being looked up at Zangetsu, for some reason he felt like that was his name. It made sense, after all, judging by his appearance.

"…you must fight Ichigo and demonstrate that fighting with his Zanpakuto is different from fighting with a simple sword."

* * *

"If you truly wish to fight, then take me back… from yourself!"

Shiro saw the Zanpakuto fly off the building. He leapt after it. Of course, Ichigo was there, but he knew he had a job to do. "Outta the way, partner!"

He giggled madly at the shocked look on Ichigo's face. Really, it was _hysterical!_

"Take it back, if you think you can~" He didn't mean to sound so taunting, but he wanted to see his King fighting up close. Those brown eyes were so beautiful all sparked up with _rage, lust, hate… instinct. _Shiro shook his head, smile faltering slightly. _Where had those thoughts come from?_

"Who are you?" King asked. Shiro narrowed his eyes and frowned. Not even King knew who he was?

"That's so mean, _partner. _I'm just a friend. Now what are you doing just standing there? Come and fight me!" Shiro let the Zanpakuto slide from his fingers. He grabbed the bandage and started spinning the Zanpakuto. He was supposed to be teaching Ichigo different fighting techniques, right? Well, this was something he'd never seen before, and Shiro kinda liked it himself.

The Zanpakuto slipped and went flying at Ichigo. The King dodged, and Shiro had accidentally come up with another move he liked. He kept doing that a while longer, until an odd thought appeared.

"Zangetsu isn't just a tool. He's alive, like ya! You've gotta offer him your power like he offers it to you!"

_Where were these thoughts coming from? _Shiro could swear one minute he knew everything about Zangetsu and the next there was nothing. When he brought the Zanpakuto back into his hands, a memory flashed before his eyes.

He ran at Ichigo, sword raised and a grin on his face. He was a Zanpakuto, made to kill, and a Hollow, made to destroy everything in sight!

_Zangetsu_ sensed the change in Shiro's spiritual pressure. Deciding that Ichigo had learned enough, he returned the larger blade to Ichigo. Ichigo was sent off without another second to spare, and Zangetsu was left alone with Shiro. The fake Zanpakuto spirit winced at the broken katana in Shiro's hands. _That could've been Ichigo._

Shiro fingered the tiny weapon in his hands before letting it vanish into the wind. He turned to Zangetsu, a small smile on his lips. "He's very strong… train him well, _Zangetsu, _because one day that power will be mine."

The Old Man narrowed his eyes and sent Shiro back into the depths of Ichigo's mind before the real inner world could unlock more of Shiro's memories. He wasn't entirely sure of what he'd just done, but he knew it wouldn't be good.

* * *

Shiro crawled over to the window where he watched his King battle Kenpachi. He'd gotten close to Ichigo, and for those brief few seconds he not only knew who he was, but knew everything Ichigo did. He fought hard to remember ever detail, but all that came to his mind was…

"Instinct. King… do you have one?" Shiro grinned, watching his King dodge each strike. He wracked his nails down the side of the skyscraper, summoning his mask in the outside world, protecting Ichigo from the final strike between him and Kenpachi. "I do… it's somewhere between protecting you and destroying all that oppose us."

Shiro stepped back from the window and looked up into the black skies.

"Can you hear me Zangetsu? I know you're hiding something from me! I saw you in one of my memories! I SAW THE REAL YOU!"

Shiro removed his own version of Zangetsu's blade and stabbed it into the orange skyscraper.

"I can taste it… a sliver of the power King and I have. I won't stop until I get everything back. My memory, my power, and my King. _My _King."

He wasn't sure how many days had passed in the real world. A day, a week, or a month… He knew it definitely wasn't a year. Ichigo was still somewhere in the Soul Society, and from what Shiro had gathered he knew Ichigo wouldn't leave until he'd saved Rukia. There was a time limit on that… but it had escaped Shiro's mind.

Shiro suddenly felt a tremor rocket throughout Ichigo's mind. Something bad had happened, and without a second thought he dove for the window. Ichigo was _dying._

Shiro awoke once more to the boy's true inner world.

"He needs you…" Zangetsu said suddenly.

Shiro grinned and faced the old man. "Really? You've been ignoring me for so long. Funny how you only call when you need something."

"Ichigo is going to die."

Shiro's eyes widened. "Just tell me what to do."

"Ichigo is weak enough, you should be able to reach out and fight for him. Please… finish Byakuya off." There was something about the way Zangetsu said the last line that almost made Shiro not want to go, but his King was in danger and it was his obligation to help.

After defeating the royal pain-in-the-ass noble Kuchiki, Shiro understood why he was told to interfere. Ichigo rejected him so badly it _hurt. _Zangetsu set it up so Ichigo thought Shiro was the bad guy. Well fine, if that's what Zangetsu wanted…

Then Shiro would give the old man hell.


	4. Into the Hollow's Mind

Now you know everything that happened.

Other than, of course, details surrounding that Arrancar… No one hurts, let alone _kills, _my King and gets away with it. Ichigo appeared in our inner world. I tried to heal him, but I couldn't reach him. Instead, Ichigo became… something else, a perfect mix of Hollow and Shinigami. I couldn't revive Ichigo, though, so all that was left was an empty shell.

I hadn't meant for this to happen…

Now it was happening all over again. My King, my beautiful King, I'd never heard him in so much pain before.

I should have known, even if Yhwach wasn't directly connected to Ichigo's soul, I should have known losing him would harm Ichigo.

I was angry, fed up with the lies and ready for Ichigo to know the truth, but Yhwach knew that. Even so, he agreed with me that Ichigo would be safer if Muramasa took him, if Muramasa believed he'd taken the root of Ichigo's power he would leave us alone. In the end, Yhwach sacrificed himself for me, _me._ Why?

What was there for him to gain in going along with my plan? I don't believe Yhwach fell for my 'it's the best for Ichigo' speech. I think Yhwach was too smart to fall for a trap like that. So then, does he really want me to let Ichigo know the truth?

There was another cry of pain. I immediately shook off my own thoughts and ran towards the sound. That was when I sensed it, _the intruder in __**my master's **__inner world._

It was followed quickly by Ichigo's distress. He was struggling against – who was it – _Muramasa? _Damn that bastard! Couldn't he leave us alone? What's got him so interested in Ichigo?

This was it. I'd reached the end of this false inner world. I hated how wrong the colours were here, almost as much as I hated my own appearance. I'm supposed to reflect Ichigo, aren't I? I bet I'm the only Zanpakuto in existence that brought shame and disgust to its master's image.

_Awaken…_

My eyes widened.

_Awaken your instinct. It lies in the deepest and darkest part of you._

I felt, just for an instant, a pull. Muramasa was trying to use his power on Ichigo too. I grinned a little at that. Stupid _baka, _didn't that Zanpakuto know? There's no way anyone could use mind control on _my _stubborn ass King.

_Now, I want you to show it to me!_

I giggled, if only for a few seconds. I took pride in knowing Ichigo would never bow to his enemies. Of course, with my next thought my grin faded. If he wouldn't give in willingly, that meant they'd start to use force.

_You are awake, Ichigo Kurosaki. Let's go. It is time to release the instinct inside of you._

Sure enough, I cringed at the sound of Ichigo screaming. Muramasa tore apart Ichigo's soul, hunting for me. I couldn't stand the sound of Ichigo in pain, so I gave in, only a little. I shattered the yellow glass and fell into the darkness, allowing Muramasa's voice to carry me out of the darkness and into King's inner world.

It was beautiful. I much preferred the blue skyscrapers to the hideous yellow.

A quick stretching of my senses told me Ichigo lay behind me, immobilized but still conscious. I was glad I was between the intruder and my King. Like hell I was gonna let that bastard touch Ichigo when I could do something about it. I didn't take my gaze off of the rogue Zanpakuto as I spoke, "Oi, you. Did you call for me?"

I could hear Ichigo speaking to himself. "What now? What kind of game is he playing? And what is _he _doing here again?"

_Tch. Nice to see ya 'gain too, King._ No, I didn't dare make a comment out loud. The less information Muramasa was given about me and Ichigo, the better. That included our history.

Which is why I didn't care to answer Muramasa truthfully when he asked, "Just what are you?"

I'd stick with what I've always said. "Me? Well, you can call me his basic instincts." It was very, very vague, but it wasn't completely dishonest.

"Interesting…" Muramasa seemed to be taking the lie. I only hoped he'd come to the same conclusion everyone else did, except Yhwach who knew who I was the moment he saw me. "If what you're saying is true, then the power Ichigo displayed earlier is yours. The same as a Hollow's."

I grinned, _Bingo! _"Well, who really knows?" Muramasa seemed satisfied with his conclusion. I drew out my Zanpakuto, eager to distract Muramasa before he came up with more theories. "Now it's my turn to ask you some questions! Just who the hell are you anyway?" I have to play dumb, after all. I can't allow Ichigo to know he hasn't really been keeping me locked up all this time… Can I?

"I am the Zanpakuto Muramasa. I am here to free all of the Zanpakuto. Zanpakuto respond to my voice, and I possess the power to awaken their true instincts."

I had to bite my tongue. It seems Muramasa was bending the truth too, but Ichigo seemed to believe it. He didn't understand Muramasa's true power, he couldn't comprehend a Zanpakuto's true loyalty. No doubt Muramasa was sent here by his master, and there was no doubt he'd do positively anything for them. Obviously that included seeking out _something _and causing a ruckus in the Soul Society.

"Ah, it all makes sense now," Muramasa seemed to have come to another conclusion. "If you are truly Ichigo Kurosaki's instincts, then you can utilize my power to your advantage. You can use it to liberate the instinct living within you."

I had to laugh. He still bought my white lie, while I had his all figured out. He was obviously missing his master, the part of him that was more than just the instinct to overpower and kill. Muramasa raised his hand, and immediately I could hear whispers and taunts. He was attempting to control me again, but his power wouldn't be enough to control both the Hollow and Zanpakuto that made up my being. On top of that, if he really was attempting to release my instinct and not control me, then he'd merely make my will to protect Ichigo that much stronger.

For a second the world went black. I heard Muramasa's spell trying to persuade me to follow him. This must have been the same trick he pulled on all the other Zanpakuto. I was different, I pushed forward my Hollow instincts, and they got pulled into his spell instead. When I opened my eyes all I could see was Muramasa stepping closer to me, and all I wanted to do was tear him apart.

I waited, and waited, and waited a few more seconds, just until he was close enough… It was no good, every part of my body was screaming at me to kill him. I leapt forward too soon and Muramasa blocked me. I saw him studying me and I had to laugh. There was no way he'd ever figure me out! Even if he did, I was gonna kill him before he got the chance to use any of that information!

He pushed me back and I scoffed. "You're not too bad!"

"I'm not here to play with you."

Silly, silly Zanpakuto. You awakened a monster from its sleep and you're not even gonna humor it?

"Prove to me that you're Ichigo Kurosaki's true strength! Don't waste any more of my time!"

I laughed and let a grin widen my lips. "Let's have some fun!" From the corner of my eye I saw Ichigo tense and that brought me back to my senses. I ran at Muramasa with as much speed as I could muster. It wasn't like I could use Bankai, not without sending some confusing signals. I suppose using a Getsuga would be out of the question too. So I had to rely on the two things that wouldn't give off a red light, my strength and my speed. I hit him with two hard shots and he blocked them both. I could see him silently questioning me again. Thinking quickly, I let slip the first words that came to my mind, "This is so much fun! It's been a while since I fought without holding back!"

The look Muramasa gave me was much better this time. He wasn't creating new ideas anymore, just concluding his previous thoughts. Before anything else could happen, I had to distract Muramasa, and also move this fight away from a recovering Ichigo. I accidentally used Flash Step, but Muramasa wasn't analyzing me anymore so I guess I got away with it. That and I also swung my Zanpakuto against Muramasa's hard enough that it sent him flying.

There. That provided us with more space to fight, and more room for Ichigo to recover. I saw Ichigo's shock and suddenly felt like being a little cocky. "Come on out, Zanpakuto! I know there's more to you than that!"

"Impressive," Muramasa remarked. I grinned a little more at that. "I didn't expect you'd be so capable. It's true, you are a Hollow. Thanks to Zangetsu being released from Ichigo's body, you were able to run free inside him. If you're his Inner Hollow, then that helps to explain the strange transformation Ichigo went through at that time. Am I right?"

I cackled at his lack of deducting abilities. "So what if you are?"

* * *

**Hey everyone! So I realise I kinda glossed over some details (between last chapter and this one.) Thing is, this is really where I want the story to go and I was getting super distracted trying to fill in Shiro's backstory. I hope this doesn't throw too many of you off, but the rest of the story will partake in the events of the Zanpakuto Arc. Thanks for reading! And, as always, I would love for you guys to leave a review! :D**


	5. A Stressed Aliance

He leapt at me. For a moment I thought we were going to fight again, but Muramasa landed peacefully, this time much closer to Ichigo than I would have liked. The sorry excuse for a Zanpakuto continued talking, "Zanpakuto and Shinigami come together through teamwork and tranquility. Thanks to you, I can see there are exceptions to this, forces that are meant to be supressed… You are very interesting."

_Don't get defensive… don't get defensive… don't get- _I couldn't stop myself from replying. "Oi! I let you speak your mind and you go putting me down like that?" I tried to end my speech there, but I just couldn't stop. It didn't help that the confused look on Muramasa's face was just too priceless. Damn my Hollow cruelty. "Did you just say that he's been keeping me supressed?"

"Am I wrong?"

"Oh yeah, dead wrong!" I pointed my blade at Muramasa again. Hopefully he got the hint that I wanted to fight.

Muramasa seemed more confused than ever. "Then explain it to me!"

"And why should I do that for you?" I'm glad my sadistic self could stop there. I gotta admit, though, the annoyed look Muramasa gave me was far too much to handle. I chuckled, "Besides… what's got you so interested in Ichigo?" _Shit, play the bad guy, play the bad guy! _"You're sure interested in us _both…_ What are you after here?"

He suddenly looked pleased, like _he _had the upper hand again. "You'll know in time."

"Oh yeah? You won't bet getting your way, not with me here!" I felt sorry for what came out next, but I just couldn't allow Muramasa to believe I was anything more than a Hollow. "I don't care what your plan is! I'll devour Ichigo and take control of his body! That is my true instinct. And if you intend to stop me, then I'll destroy you!"

I was less concerned with Muramasa's reaction this time. The hate and fear I saw on Ichigo's face nearly tore me apart, but it had to be done. If Ichigo believed it, then so would Muramasa. I was distracted with Ichigo long enough that I almost didn't notice Muramasa heading for me. I blocked him, and then fought back. We exchanged words, but I couldn't focus on what we were saying. My only goal now was to get Muramasa away from Ichigo again. I leapt over Muramasa and struck him from behind.

I felt pretty good, that is until Muramasa raised his Zanpakuto. I saw it flash then disappear. I didn't give a damn about what he was really doing. If there was a chance he was trying to take control of me, I had to run away. It didn't work the first time, but who's to say that was his full strength? I won't hurt Ichigo! Never! Especially not when he's so defenseless!

I panicked when something wrapped around my limbs. "What is this!?" I practically screamed. I didn't care about my pride right now. Fact was, my body stopped responding to me. I was frozen, helpless as I was suddenly sent flying past several skyscrapers and crashing into one. I tried sitting up, if I could just reach my Zanpakuto! But it was no use, Muramasa had me. He was getting closer, close enough to slit my throat if he wanted to. "Damn you!" I screamed at Muramasa, partially at Yhwach. This wasn't fair! If only I could use my full power…

"What's the matter?" He mocked me, pointing his blade at me. "Is that all you got?"

"Shut up!" Muramasa was forced back by a flash of blue light. My body was free! I let out a soft sigh of relief, collapsing onto all fours once. I glanced at Ichigo, but didn't allow the relief to show on my face.

"That's it!" I was comforted by the fact that Ichigo's rage wasn't directed at me. He continued speaking, "I can't just let you take what you want!"

"For a moment there… I thought you were gonna let me die." I spoke in a gently mocking tone, noticing Ichigo turn slightly to acknowledge that I spoke. "Why would you save me? Why would you do such a thing for me?"

"Do you really need to ask?" Ichigo looked away once I stood up. Wow, did he really trust me to stand in his blind spot? He was either really stupid… or suddenly very clever. "It's who I am, and obviously you're a part of me. That's all there is too it."

I sensed there was more. I could almost hear the questions swarming around his head, but he'd caught on that the intruder had to be taken care of first. I wiped blood from my lip. "Oh great, more of your arrogance."

"Look," his tone demanded my attention. He was looking at me now with his stern brown eyes. "Now that Zangetsu has disappeared, I don't know what you plan on doing with me. I don't know what I plan on doing either, but you and I both know something must be done…" He gestured to Muramasa. "And done now, am I right?"

I grinned at how powerful he felt. I grinned at the thought of _him _suggesting we work together. I felt a surge of adrenalin, and murmured, "You're such a pain in the ass."

"What an interesting sight this is…" Muramasa murmured, officially killing my good mood. "A Soul Reaper choosing to protect a Hollow?"

"You can bet on it!" Ichigo snapped gently. I felt obliged to step closer to him, let him protect me. I'm sure not even Ichigo realised why he was suddenly so possessive of me, but I didn't care. In fact, I was enjoying the attention. "He may be a Hollow, but he's still part of me. I'm perfectly fine with that because _I'm _the guy in charge around here!"

"Ichigo Kurosaki…" Muramasa shook his head. "What you've described is hardly the relationship that exists between a Soul Reaper and Hollow."

I didn't notice how close I was to Ichigo until I felt the cloth of his Shihakusho brush against my fingers. I couldn't stop myself from wrapping my arms around him, leaning into his ear and murmuring the words I had wanted to say since Ichigo's first battle, "Take me power, King. Use it to destroy him."

Then just like that, Ichigo called upon Zangetsu's power, _my _power, and flashed in front of where Muramasa now stood. They locked swords, the intruder foolish enough to believe his will was stronger than my stubborn King's. Muramasa soon shattered in a green light and his presence vanished completely from this world. I dropped to my knees, my heart pounding in my ears and hands throbbing in time with the power pumping through the air.

I would've been there longer, enjoying my high, if it hadn't of been for Ichigo's voice snapping me from my thoughts, "What are you smiling about? I'd hardly call that a victory, especially by your standards."

King glared at me as I laughed, "What are you talking about?"

He marched over to me, lifted me by my collar and glared into my eyes.

I kept talking, "That was the biggest victory in years! The first time you've ever accepted my help!"

"You're sick…" he spat, pushing me to the ground.

Ichigo was turning to leave, but I so desperately didn't want him to leave me yet. I thought of something else to say. "You misunderstood what's so great about it… You think me some sort of monster, Ichigo! Incapable of reasonable thought… Well, go on then! Ask me your questions!" I saw his eyes widen. "See? I'm not as stupid as you think! I can tell you're itching for answers… c'mon, speak yer mind!"

He seemed to pause and think. After a minute, he replied with, "He called you out the same way he called out Zangetsu. It was the same pain, like he tore out a piece of my core." I noticed him hug his stomach, as if he could still feel it. I calmed down then, wishing I could comfort him but as soon as I moved he raised his Zanpakuto to my throat. "Why didn't it work on you!?"

I knew he wouldn't be satisfied with the same bull shit I was telling Muramasa, and I also knew he could tell I understood exactly what he meant. I still chose to play dumb, "Why didn't what work on me?"

"His mind control… or ability, or whatever! Zangetsu immediately turned against me! You should've turned on me too, but…" A thought lit up his eyes, but he shook his head.

_'That's impossible,' _I heard his thoughts, _'He wouldn't protect me.'_

"But?" I probed.

"But… you're a Hollow, so I guess it doesn't work the same way…"

I shook my head. "Why the hell are you so stupid?" Ichigo's attention snapped directly onto me. "Speak your damn mind, idiot! There are perks to being stuck inside yer damn body. One of them is that I know just about everything about you! Which means I know when you're trying to hide something from me!"

"Fine then!" Ichigo snapped. He lowered his Zanpakuto and I relaxed. "You took control and fought against Zangetsu. Then, you wouldn't let Muramasa anywhere near me! You think only you can recognize my feelings? We have the same face, idiot! I saw how stressed and distracted you were when fighting Muramasa! I saw… I thought I saw…" He forced out these next words, "You were worried about me."

I laughed, trying to shake off Ichigo's new theory, but I could tell it wasn't working.

"Why were you so worried? Obviously a stray Getsuga or hell, even chucking your Zanpakuto at me would've killed me in the state I was in! Instead, you kept your distance, and lead Muramasa to do the same!"

"That's idiotic! Where did you come up with such an idea!?"

Ichigo threw his Zanpakuto at me, hilt first. I caught it, now balancing two blades in my hands. "Kill me then, Hollow. Do it, right now!"

He was positively convinced that I wasn't going to do anything to hurt him. He was right, Ichigo completely nailed the situation. I knew he'd figure it out eventually. After all, my deduction skills came from him, so he definitely had the means to figure it all out. I let both Zanpakuto clatter to the ground, "I can't… King, I really can't."

To my surprise, Ichigo smiled, "Good, because I can't save the Soul Society by myself."


	6. Zangetsu Defeated?

**Third Person POV**

Ichigo never thought he'd see the day where Zangetsu turned his blade against him, where the old man himself would place a sharp sword to his neck. After just barely dodging one of Zangetsu's attacks, he was thankful that Zangetsu had decided to stop.

Ichigo took the opportunity to ask some questions, "Why are you fighting me!? What's the point?"

With a slight glare in his glasses, Zangetsu replied, "I want to know which one of us is stronger."

"That doesn't make any sense!" Ichigo wasn't given a chance to protest further. The word that usually brought him relief could only bring him dread as it left Zangetsu's lips.

"Bankai."

Ichigo grit his teeth when a nameless, blue strike was sent towards him. He forced a flash step out of his poorly collected spiritual pressure, and dodged the strike just in time. It wasn't long until another was sent his way, this time it was much bigger. The force of Zangetsu's strike ripped apart the ground and Ichigo could hear it cracking. He ran back as fast as he could, but the attack could keep up with him. Ichigo had to jump to the side to avoid it.

_That force…_ Ichigo panted, dropping to his knees from sudden exhaustion. _Have I always exerted this much power?_

"Get up!" Zangetsu's surprisingly angered tone snapped Ichigo's head up. "We aren't finished yet, Ichigo!"

"I know!" Ichigo's grip tightened around his own blade. "If you really want to fight me… if that's truly how you feel, then so be it! Ban-"

'_Ichigo stop!'_

His hollow's voice sent chills burrowing through his bones.

'_Ichigo… you need to be aware that his powers are no longer in your blade. You don't have your usual power to draw from. Bankai won't work!'_ Shiro could almost sense Ichigo's distress. As much as he wanted to give Ichigo everything right here and now, he couldn't expose the truth to Muramasa, who was watching nearby. That, and he needed Ichigo's complete trust in order for Ichigo's abilities to function properly. _'You can use my power, but on one condition! You can't use your mask!'_

_Like hell, _Ichigo thought. Though his mind quickly changed as another Getsuga Tenshou was sent his way. Ichigo cursed under his breath, his hand instinctively moving to his forehead. Then he recalled what Shiro had said and he immediately stopped summoning his mask. Instead, he gathered what reiatsu he could onto his blade, and released a quick Getsuga. He didn't aim for Zangetsu, but instead aimed to create a smoke screen.

"Alright, you bastard Hollow, what's the plan!?"

'_Tch… would it kill ya to be nice? I am offering to help you, yanno…'_

"There's no time for this! What do I do!?"

Shiro let a grin grace his features. He lay against a skyscraper, a lazy aura about him. _'Does this mean you're gonna listen to me?'_

Ichigo released a heavy sigh. "Whatever it takes… just please hurry."

Ichigo dropped to the ground as soon as he noticed another Getsuga Tenshou headed his way. He threw a stunning blast in Zangetsu's direction, hearing the old man shout, "You're going to have to try harder than that, Ichigo. I know you're stronger."

"Why are you fighting me!?"

"I simply want to see how powerful you truly are… I have taught you all you need to know, whether or not you can surpass me is up to you. The reality is that if you were to fall to my blade right now, I would be completely content."

Ichigo swallowed the spit that had gathered in his mouth. He glanced down at the blade in his hands. How was this going to defeat Zangetsu's Bankai? _Unless, Zangetsu meant…_ "In other words, you want me to fight against you with everything I've got. Am I right?"

"You are."

Shiro slowly sat up. Was that directed towards him?

He shot a warning to the King, '_Using me won't be easy!' _And it wouldn't. Unleashing his full reiatsu would startle Ichigo, who was terrible at controlling the power he already had. Maybe Shiro would only release small amounts of his power at a time.

'_I know,' _Ichigo replied through their shared link. This was already a good sign that Shiro's powers were reaching Ichigo, his mental connection with Ichigo had been re-established. _'Give me everything you can…'_

'_It would be my absolute pleasure to do so, King.'_

Next thing Ichigo knew, Zangetsu had thrown him against the ground. The old man's sword nearly punctured his head, but Ichigo had managed to escape in time under the cover of the smoke screen. He immediately ran towards the clearing, swinging his blade in Zangetsu's direction. He was easily blocked, and with enough force to send him flying back. Ichigo hit the wall, hard.

"I told you, Ichigo. If you don't use your full strength then you're going to die."

Muramasa had a smug look on his face, obviously pleased with what was going on.

'_Ichigo, you have to trust me in order for this to work!'_

'_Shut up!' _Was Ichigo's only reply. Again, Ichigo's hand twitched with the urge to summon his mask, but he was trying to supress it. He allowed himself a quick snicker. All this time he had been trying to supress his Inner Hollow, now he was trying to supress the urge to supress his Inner Hollow. Ichigo stood up and slowly allowed his eyes to close. _'Prove it! Prove to me that I can trust you!'_

'_I'm not sure how I can possibly do that with you unwilling to give me a chance!' _Shiro growled and scratched at the skyscraper. He slowly sighed, _'My power's yours, King. I'm the horse, the one who's going to carry you into this battle. I won't fight you for the crown; you've earned it.'_

To Shiro's surprise, Ichigo's mental barrier shattered.

Ichigo opened his eyes, blocking Zangetsu's blade with his own. Shiro's power filled his being and he felt compelled to grin a little. "You know what? I think I've figured it out…"

"Then let's not waste any more time."

As soon as Ichigo noticed Zangetsu begin to charge a Getsuga, he instinctively did the same.

Shiro closed his eyes, enjoying the hum of his power flowing through Ichigo's inner world. He could touch the skyscrapers and breathe in the air without feeling like every inch of the space around him despised him. He finally felt complete, being the main source of Ichigo's power.

It was worth it to see the shock on Zangetsu's face. Shiro interpreted that as a good sign. If Zangetsu underestimated his and Ichigo's combined strength, then maybe he'd be satisfied with the results of this brawl. Perhaps once Zangetsu finally returned to their inner world, he'd be inclined to let Shiro remain as the dominant portion of Ichigo's powers.

Monstrous, red reiatsu raged around Ichigo. Ichigo took a deep breath. Relying on his Hollow and actually controlling his Hollow were two very different things. Although, he had to admit, it did feel nice not having to divide his attention between his fight and keeping his Hollow in check. That, and Shiro seemed to actually be obeying him. Why? Well, he'd ask that later, for now he was quite thankful for the power boost.

His Getsuga was about to swallow Zangetsu. That, apparently, was not in Muramasa's plan.

Before Ichigo's Getsuga could reach Zangetsu, Muramasa moved behind Ichigo and pierced his back. Ichigo's cry of pain was drowned out by Zangetsu's Getsuga surrounding him. Shocked, but not the least bit upset, Zangetsu appeared next to Muramasa. "You didn't need to do that."

"He was going to kill you," Muramasa stated, matter-of-factly. "I can't have that, seeing as you're an important part of my plan. Now come on…" His last words were drowned out by the sounds of his coughing. Blood appeared on Muramasa's hand before he vanished.

Zangetsu approached Ichigo's limp body. Orange hair was slowly soaking up the blood, pooling from the wound on Ichigo's back. "You would have won. Together, you and Ichigo would have defeated me. That is what I was hoping for. You must protect him, and do whatever is necessary, while I try to keep Muramasa at bay."

Just as Zangetsu left, Ichigo's blood slowly began to turn white. Shiro could be heard, screaming, infuriated. He clawed his way from Ichigo's body, forcing materialization. Muramasa's initial breach into Ichigo's inner world left a large enough gap for him to escape out of. With fury lacing his eyes, Shiro lifted his Shinigami into his arms.

"How dare he!? Muramasa will pay for hurting you." Shiro placed a hand over Ichigo's wound, and it slowly began to stitch itself together. Shiro smirked, "It would appear… Yhwach has truly set me free. I can't let anyone know the truth, not for now… I'll simply be your Hollow…" A blue tongue licked white lips. "I'll tear Muramasa to pieces when he least expects it."


	7. A Different Kind of Trouble

"Ichigo… Kurosaki Ichigo!"

Brown eyes snapped open to a face he didn't recognize.

"Good. You're awake." The Shinigami gave a quick bow. "C-Captain Unohana, Captain Ukitake and Captain Kyoroku need to speak with you immediately!"

Ichigo sat up in bed. He felt around his body but found that he'd been bandaged up and given new robes.

"Sorry for waking you, Ichigo…" The other Shinigami said. "But it's urgent."

Without wasting another second, Ichigo followed the Shinigami out of his room and down the hall to a meeting room. There he found the Captains waiting for him. He sat down and was soon busy answering all their questions. Ichigo explained what Muramasa revealed to him: how he was taking over the Zanpakutos and how Muramasa appeared to be searching for something. Ichigo also informed them that Zangetsu had been taken over.

An uneasy silence settled over the room.

"So… to review…" Unohana said softly. All eyes turned to her. "A Zanpakuto named Muramasa is the one controlling the Zanpakuto?"

Ichigo nodded, his orange hair rolling into his eyes. He brought a hand up from his lap in order to brush it back. "He can remove a Zanpakuto from a Shinigami's body. He can then use any of the Zanpakuto's suppressed rage against their Shinigami to convince them to turn against their Master. It's something like mind control, but closer to manipulation…"

A loud clatter was heard before the door across the room slid open. Ichigo recognized that red hair and face full of tattoos anywhere…

"So you called?" Renji asked as he entered, nodding to Ukitake. Behind him were two figures that Ichigo didn't recognize.

Captain Ukitake gave Renji a meek smile. "I did. You've fought and subdued your Zanpakuto… can you tell us anything about the battle that may aid other Shinigami?"

Renji frowned, "I wish I could. All I did was fight and defeat them… I'm afraid Zabimaru doesn't remember anything."

"Is this true?" Ukitake questioned.

Monkey, one of Zabimaru's spirits, spoke, "Yeah. We don't remember a thing from before Renji fought us. _Muramasa… _doesn't even sound familiar to us."

"Renji!" Snake, Zabimaru's other spirit, shouted, "Can we go now!? I'm starving!"

Renji snapped at Snake, "I already told you no! _And _I already gave you something to eat thirty minutes ago!" Renji and Snake began to bicker. Monkey sighed and grunted in annoyance. She tried separating them and an even louder argument ensued.

The pale figure sitting behind Ichigo _snorted. _"You're all _pathetic._"

Ichigo snapped a glare in his direction, effectively silencing Shiro.

Both Zabimaru's spirits screamed at him, "WHAT DID YOU SAY!?"

Renji pushed them both back. "_Damn, _Ichigo. Your Zanpakuto thinks less before speaking than you do-" Renji stopped in his tracks at the sight of the figure sitting behind Ichigo on the floor. If the skin hadn't given it away, then those eyes _definitely _did. "That's…"

"My Inner Hollow," Ichigo stated.

"Isn't he… supposed to be… yanno…?" Renji drawled, making an odd gesture with his hands. "_Inner?_"

"You're just a regular detective, aren't you?" Shiro retorted. "Ain't yer Zanpakuto spirits s'pose to be _'inner'_ as well?"

Renji grumbled at Shiro's remark, but bit his tongue before another argument broke out. Unnoticed behind him was Zabimaru. Both spirits hadn't taken their eyes off of Shiro. They could tell, just by looking at him, that something was… _off._

* * *

Muramasa could hear the echoes of the Zanpakuto below. He couldn't care less for their nonchalant bickering. He was aware they were growing restless, but his preparations hadn't yet been complete. For now, he'd chosen a handful of powerful Zanpakuto to keep safe. None of them held the power he desired, but each of them could prove useful in discovering that power.

Zangetsu marched behind him, a hard frown on his face. He wasn't scared of this place, but all the different presences were making him feel uneasy. Since he was technically part of Ichigo's powers, Muramasa did retain some basic control over him. For example, a week ago he'd never abandon Ichigo's inner world in an attempt to pursue his goals, now however… Zangetsu had a plan to test Ichigo's true abilities. If it meant that it was time to hand the torch over to the real Zangetsu, then so be it. He had to know for sure that Ichigo could defeat him, and then maybe Ichigo stood a chance against-

"What's going on here?" Muramasa spoke, his voice as bland as his care for the situation.

Haineko and Tobiume immediately turned around. Their eyes locked on Muramasa, ignoring, for now, the figure he'd brought down with him.

Haineko piped up, "Nothing! We're just… talking."

Zangetsu looked away, and then flinched as his eyes met the glare from another Zanpakuto. "Who are you?"

Zangetsu recognized that Zanpakuto's spiritual pressure. _Hozukimaru… _"Zangetsu-"

"_Ichigo Kurosaki's_ Zangetsu!?" Another Zanpakuto laughed. "Good riddance to that Substitute Shinigami! What worthless trash! No fighting spirit, no _clue _on how to actually use his powers… just a big waste of spiritual pressure!"

Zangetsu found himself agreeing. Even though he knew it was due to Muramasa's influence, he still hated himself for it. He also knew the real him, _Yhwach_, would be thinking the same thing.

Muramasa spoke again. "I have the feeling Ichigo Kurosaki is still alive…" Zangetsu turned and looked at him, his expression unreadable. "I want you all to capture him, alive. He possesses an ability I want to look at further."

"His Inner Hollow…" Zangetsu murmured.

Muramasa nodded. "I've never seen a Shinigami save a Hollow before. I've also never seen a Shinigami with the ability of instant regeneration. I believe Ichigo Kurosaki and this… 'Inner Hollow' share a relationship that is uniquely their own. Am I right?"

Zangetsu shrugged. "I merely supressed the creature. What they do without me is of their own concern."

* * *

Ichigo sat in the back corner of the room, waiting for the doctor to finish examining Rukia. As the doctor left, Rukia spoke without looking at Ichigo, "I have a really bad feeling…"

Ichigo nodded, knowing precisely what Rukia was talking about. Byakuya had been defeated by his own Zanpakuto, and then disappeared. "Don't worry, Rukia. We will find him."

Rukia turned her gaze down to her feet. She slowly sat up on her bed, pushing the pillow against the wall in order to use it as a back rest. "Ichigo… it's my fault, isn't it? You lost Zangetsu because of-"

"_No._" Ichigo said sharply. "It's not your fault at all. I lost Zangetsu because I was reckless. I didn't know what Muramasa was capable of until it was too late." Ichigo stood and moved to sit at the end of Rukia's bed. "Now then, stop worrying about me and focus on yourself. You got really banged up… Try and get some rest, alright?"

Rukia had locked eyes with Ichigo at this point. She chuckled a little, and then smiled. "Alright you big id-"

"Halt! Right there!"

Ichigo spun around to look at the source of the noise. Shiro flew past the doorway, followed closely by Monkey and Snake. Six or seven Shinigami chased after them, one of which was Renji. Ichigo quickly grabbed him and yanked him inside Rukia's room. "Renji, what the hell is going on!?"

Renji sighed in annoyance, "I'm not really sure! Zabimaru said something about a rematch… and they're gonna fight your Inner Hollow. Unohana and I tried to stop them, but they just took off running!"

Ichigo groaned inwardly before following Renji to try and stop the disaster before it happened. Ichigo didn't want to think about what would happen if his Inner Hollow was allowed to roam the Soul Society freely, and he _definitely _didn't want to think about the damage a fight between Zabimaru and his Inner Hollow would cause.

Renji began to slow down. Ichigo stopped when he noticed a dark look on his friend's features. "What is it?"

Renji slowly looked at Ichigo. "How bad is it? Your Inner Hollow…"

Ichigo tensed a little at that question. "He's…" A hand moved to his stomach where Shiro had once stabbed him. Those memories came flooding back: the painful grip on his face before he was thrown through a building, getting hit by a full force Getsuga Tenshou, and even having Tensa Zangetsu speared through his body then slowly get pulled out. There was no denying that his Inner Hollow was his dark side, but the past few days… "He's been acting weird lately. Before, whenever he showed up, it was always destroy, kill, dominate… But he's been defending me, trying to protect me."

Renji nodded, "Listen, Ichigo… After you left to see Rukia, Zabimaru and your Hollow were moved to another room, you know, in case Muramasa came back for them… Well, I overheard them talking…"

"_What are you staring at!?" Shiro spat at the other two spirits._

_ Monkey, with a scowl, and Snake, with a grin, replied, "Why are you holding back?"_

"_Tch…" Shiro looked away. "I don't know if you've noticed, but I'm kinda surrounded by Captains. Even without their Zanpakuto, taking out a Hollow like me would be easy-"_

_ Monkey lifted Snake by his chain and threw him at Shiro. "Idiot! You think we're gonna fall for something as ridiculous as this!? We know what you are,__** who **__you are!"_

_ Snake spoke up, "So how about a rematch, huh? You were holding back before! Come on~ We've gotten stronger! We have Bankai!"_

"_We don't know why you're lying to everyone… but we'll promise to keep your identity a secret if you promise us a good fight!"_

"_Fine." Shiro's voice went smooth, silky… hell even __**sinful **__with blood lust. He slowly climbed to his feet. "May as well have some fun while we wait for the grownups to stop playing, eh?"_

* * *

**As you can see, I've started College and I haven't had much time to work on/update my fanfictions. I am still working hard on all of them, I swear! It's just that college work comes first now. ^_^**

**I've also got a question for ya'll that might keep you busy until the next time I update!**

**If Zanpakuto are supposed to reflect their Masters, then how exactly does Zangetsu reflect Ichigo? (Same question can be applied to Shuhei Hisagi and Kazeshini.) Now, I'm not kidding! I actually want your thoughts on Zangetsu. It'll help me with developing his character in the next few chapters.**

**Until then, thanks for reading and leave a review!**


	8. I AM Zangetsu

"I don't… believe it…" Renji murmured.

Ichigo stared wide-eyed at the sight before him.

Monkey and Snake were both laying on their backs, completely exhausted. Shiro had his blade balancing on his finger tip and was sitting cross-legged across from Zabimaru.

"Is that all ya got?" Shiro muttered. "Wow, yer weak."

"Hey! Don't talk to my Zanpakuto like that!"

Ichigo chuckled a little, "Wow Renji, even my Inner Hollow can whip your ass."

Shiro grinned and turned around to face Ichigo. "Tch, what's with that smirk, _King_? It's not like I _helped ya out_ or anything the first time you an' Renji fought…"

Renji's head snapped to face Ichigo. "Yeah… I bet you can't beat me without any help, _strawberry!_"

A low growl sounded in Ichigo's throat. "What was that, _pineapple? _You wanna fight right here and now!?"

"Bring it, substitute!"

Shiro began to cackle madly as Renji and Ichigo fought. He sat back and watched, moving his eyes to observe Zabimaru every now and then in case they decided to attack him again. It took a few hours before Renji and Ichigo finally dropped. The sun had gone down. Shiro sighed and threw Ichigo over his shoulder before turning to Monkey and Snake. "Grab your idiot and let's find them a place to sleep."

Monkey sighed and lifted Renji to his feet. Snake slithered under Renji's arm and together Monkey and Snake helped Renji walk.

Renji glanced at Shiro.

"It's rude ta stare, yanno."

Renji looked away, embarrassed at being caught.

Shiro sighed, "So, ya gonna say what's on yer mind or not?"

"I…" the red-head frowned. "Are you really Ichigo's Inner-Hollow?"

"I am."

"But you're also… not."

Shiro snorted. "Well, seems you're smarter than you look."

Renji frowned. "Oi! Don't talk to me like that! Jeez, you're just like Ichigo but without a filter…"

The Hollow-Zanpakuto chuckled.

Monkey spoke up. "What about the Zangetsu that Muramasa took…?"

Shiro sighed and moved Ichigo around so that he lay bridal-style in his arms. Ichigo's eyes were closed, his face peaceful. "A decoy. I had a, sort of, mutual understanding with the spirit Muramasa took. I guess we both just knew that if he takes me away from Ichigo, he'll die."

"You really think you're that powerful?"

Shiro stopped and turned around to glare at Renji. "I _know _I am. And what's worse is that I've got the rage and instability of a Hollow running through me. I know that if I lose control it would mean the death of Ichigo. He can't beat me… which is why I _refuse _to join Muramasa at any cost."

Renji smirked, "And here I thought Ichigo was just a dumb ass that couldn't control his powers… He's got no idea, does he?"

Shiro-_Zangetsu _chuckled. "He's smarter than people think. He just doesn't want to jump to conclusions. Ichigo places a lot of faith in other people. He could probably piece it together himself, but why would he want to? He'd think his Zanpakuto betrayed him and who would want that?"

"No one."

Shiro flinched at that voice.

"No one wants to feel that way. To have the one person they trust the most turn out to be the biggest liar they've ever met. Yeah, I couldn't possibly think of a single person who'd enjoy that torture."

Ichigo pushed out of Shiro's arms.

"But that's fine, right?" said Ichigo, his voice broken and sarcastic. "What's _one more_ lie? What's so wrong about _toying with someone else's life? _After all, you only me breathing so you that you get to live. What do you _really_ care?"

Shiro felt ice grip his limbs. "King, wait-"

"No! Leave me alone!" Ichigo ran off. Shiro moved to follow Ichigo, but his arm was snagged by Zabimaru's chain.

"Let me go!" Shiro snapped, eyes flashing in the moonlight.

"You need to give Ichigo some space," Renji said, standing between Monkey and Snake. The two spirits gripped the chain. "You're his Zanpakuto. You should know that he's got limits to how much he can handle. I don't really know what kind of lies he's talking about, but you obviously do. _I'm _his friend, and I can tell that he needs some time alone to think."

Pale shoulders slowly went lax. In the moonlight, Shiro's skin glowed. "Fine. Maybe you're right…"

A fleck of snow fell past Shiro's face. His eyes shifted to the sky, where he noticed a figure rushing off in Ichigo's direction. Spitting out a curse, Shiro freed his arm from Zabimaru's chain and flashed away. Renji moved to chase after him, but Snake and Monkey grabbed his arms.

"Relax!" Snake hissed. "Let him go!"

"Yeah," Monkey added, her voice calmer that her other half's. "The situation has changed. Ichigo can't fight with all those distractions running through his mind. He'll die if he tries."

* * *

"OUCH! YOU BIG OAF!" Haineko screamed as her tail was squashed beneath Tobiume's foot.

"Sorry…" Tobiume mumbled, though she seemed like she couldn't care less. She leapt gracefully from the ground and landed higher in the trees.

"What's wrong with you!?"

"Nothing."

"You're so weird!"

"…"

There was the sound of crinkling footsteps in the distance. Haineko abandoned her bickering in favour of looking. She blinked, recognizing the orange spikes as they bobbed behind the bushes. "Hey, Tobiume… isn't that Ichigo Kurosaki?"

The petit girl nodded. "I think so… Isn't he the one Muramasa was so interested in?"

"Ugh, who _cares _about Muramasa?"

Haineko's whines went unnoticed by Tobiume. "Let's play a game!" the smaller one squeaked.

"What?" Haineko questioned.

Tobiume grinned, "Let's play a game with him! Come on… it'll be fun!"

* * *

Ichigo couldn't believe that tears were beginning to form in his eyes. He hadn't felt this way in a long time… He hadn't even feel this strongly when he found out that his dad had been hiding secrets from him. He didn't care about all that! Everyone had their own secrets that they kept hidden! So why did it hurt so much that _Zangetsu _had lied to him?

Oh, _right, _how about the fact that his _Zanpakuto _was _supposed _to be the one he could trust the most? A manifestation of himself!

Ichigo brought his sleeve to his eyes and erased any signs of tears. While he was distracted, a pink ribbon slithered out in front of him. By the time Ichigo lowered his arm and could see again, it was too late. The ribbon wrapped around his throat. He cursed and tugged himself free, if only to be thrown harshly against the ground.

"No fair! You got a head start!" Haineko cried. Ichigo quickly got back on his feet and glanced in the direction of the voice. His eyes fell on a red-haired woman with a large bust, wearing a pink sweater and shorts. She had cat ears that just peeked out from her hair, and a long pink tail. "Growl," She commanded, and a grey dust-like substance surrounded Ichigo.

Ichigo narrowed his eyes, not daring to touch it. "Getsuga-" He started, but betrayal rumbled through him and he couldn't finish the name. He gritted his teeth and released just a simple blast. It was enough to disperse the dust.

"Your attacks lack in power, like your head lacks in brains!" Tobiume shouted. Ichigo was about to retort, when he noticed that Tobiume's venom was directed at Haineko. The smaller Zanpakuto marched out of the shadows and into the moonlight, holding a shredded ribbon. Ichigo observed the ribbon in her hands was connected to the kimono she wore. Another, much larger ribbon, was wrapped over her shoulders and connected to two large bells.

"What was that!?" Haineko snapped back.

Ichigo raised his hands in defence and murmured, "U-Uh… hey, hold on, there's no need to fight like this…"

"He's right!" Tobiume screamed.

"Yeah! We can have a competition instead!" Haineko pointed to Ichigo. "First one that makes him squeal is the winner!"

Ichigo gulped as Haineko jumped for him. He dodged her assault then started to run. The large bells hanging around Tobiume began to glow. She spun around and with each rotation released a ball of flame in Ichigo's direction. Ichigo flashed out of the way of one, while he ducked to avoid another.

"That's_ ENOUGH_!" Rangiku's voice suddenly sounded. Ichigo heard a thud and Haineko dropped beside him, Rangiku sitting on her. Rangiku beamed and waved at Ichigo, "Hey! How's it going?"

Ichigo blinked, but before he could answer Rangiku, there was another thud. Tobiume crashed to the ground, her bells falling on either side of her. Momo gave a curt bow to Ichigo, "We'll take care of these two, Ichigo! You can get going!"

Ichigo observed the Zanpakuto, and then the two Shinigami. Suddenly the idea clicked in Ichigo's mind and he said, "Alright. Good luck!" He flashed out of the scene. He kept running until he could no longer hear Tobiume's bells ringing in battle. Then, he slowed to a walk. As the adrenaline faded, the hurt returned. Ichigo shook his head to clear it. "Maybe I can find Byakuya…" he said in hopes of distracting himself.

His eyes widened as a snowflake fell in front of him.

* * *

More and more snow was beginning to fall. Shiro forced himself to move faster despite the strain it caused in his legs. What if he got there when it was too late!? _No. No… _His King was stubborn. He wouldn't go down without a fight, that's if he even went down at all… but after his fight with Renji Ichigo would be exhausted now.

Shiro heard a scream and he immediately stopped in his tracks. He recognized Ichigo's voice immediately. Spinning on his heels, Shiro turned to briefly see orange spikes before they were enveloped in glistening ice. Shiro pointed his finger at the pillar and released a white and red Cero. The ice broke into pieces and shattered against the ground. Shiro rushed to catch Ichigo as he fell. Once his master was safe in his arms, gold on black eyes darted around, still very much aware that a threat could be nearby.

Ichigo gasped as he opened his eyes, his eyelashes coated with frost. He trembled and snuggled against Shiro, who felt hot against Ichigo's frost-bitten skin. Ichigo shuddered as Shiro spoke, his breath warm on the top of his head, "Never run away from me again!"

"S-Sor-rry…" Ichigo spoke through chattering teeth.

The short lecture was interrupted. "You are not my Master…" Hyorinmaru spoke, his voice oddly monotone.

Shiro snarled, "I'd think that quite obvious!" He lifted his leg and braced it beneath Ichigo in order to replace his left arm. Shiro then pointed his finger at Hyorinmaru, a ball of energy forming.

Ichigo placed a hand on Shiro's arm. "S-Stop! He doesn't know who he is… he's just trying to find Toshiro…"

Shiro turned his gaze to Ichigo. "Toshiro… Yeah, he's close." He lowered his arm. "I can sense his presence. He'll be here soon."

Ichigo felt Shiro shift him around but was too exhausted to react. He was lowered to ground for a moment, then something warm was draped over him. Ichigo felt Shiro lift him up again, Shiro's arms now smooth as opposed to fuzzy. Shiro had wrapped Ichigo in his Shihakusho. That was probably what prompted Ichigo's question, "Why are you… h-h-helping me n-now?"

"Because you're my Master, Ichigo, that's why."

"Y-You didn't help me b-before…"

"I _did._" Shiro sighed. "Everything I did was to keep you safe. You're all that matters to me."

"Oh…" Ichigo responded. He tried to think of more to say, but came up short. Ichigo felt a tug at his consciousness. His vision went first and then his hearing. After that, all Ichigo could feel was Shiro's warmth as he passed out.

Shiro assessed the damage. Ichigo's skin was pale and his lips were purple. His body was trembling and his clothing was stiff. As much as Shiro wanted to shred Hyorinmaru apart for what he'd done, he knew his top priority had to be getting Ichigo someplace warm. Besides, what kind of a hypocrite would Shiro be if he took some other Zanpakuto away from their master?

* * *

**I didn't go through this for errors because I'm too tired. See ya'll in the morning!**


End file.
